5 monthers

Alex can almost sit up on her own.  I have her on a rigorous exercise schedule to keep up with the other 5 monthers.

Almost...

She cracks me up.  

Our cat Bobby Bin Laden is so not impressed.

Final Score

Final Score

Virus 2

Me 3

That was a real nail biter.

Shout out Joyce!

Shout out to my lil sistra.  She's working on gettin' herself a skolorship to colleg.  GOOD LUCK!

(She made me this Valentine's Day card a couple weeks ago.)

Cute little package

Whenever we go to lift the chicken, she curls up like this.

21 weeks old

She's got mad skills.

I've been hit!

Rotting Stomach Virus 2
Me 0

The good news about rotting stomach virus is, according to my calculations, I should reach my goal weight of 92 lbs by next Monday.  

People will stop me and say stuff like, "Nichole Ritchie called, she wants her EMO jeans back."  

And they might also say, "Kennequa, what's your secret?  Are you on the Meth diet?  Cuz you look amaaaaaaaazzzzing."

Girl noises

Have you ever heard such girl noises?

What's the score yo?

Can you ever really ingest TOO MANY FRIENDLY BACTERIA?  Please don't tell me if the answer is yes.

I've been in a wrestling match with a stomach virus.  

Virus  1

Me 0

chew toy

Help!

It seems as though our little chicken is on a NURSING STRIKE.

Here she is showing me her picket sign.  She explained it to me like this:

"It's just easier and like waaaaaay faster out of a bottle."

And actually, if I'm given the choice between chopsticks and a fork, I'll go for the fork.  Or, if given the choice between a can of beer and one with a funnel attached, I know what I'd choose.

So when I attempt to give her one of my spigots, well, you've seen a puppy with a chew toy, right?

Virtual friends, if any of you have nursed in say the last 20 years, I need some advice...

without incident

Story time at the Library today was, "without incident".

pony rides

The neighbor turned 5 years old today, and her fun folks rented a pony.

I wish I would have gotten a pic of the creepy carney taking the pony for walks around the yard.

barefoot

Alex puts her feet in her mouth now like it's her job.  She's real good at taking her socks off too.

Nice work!

Big A and I went to storytime at the Library today.  Just when the Librarian got all of the kids to quiet down, our little angel let out the biggest burp.  I thought it was adorable.

Cross eyed

It still cracks me up when she looks at her toys cross eyed because they are too close.

20 weeks old!!

Dear Alex,

You are 20 weeks old, and you've been very busy growing up the last 2 months. 

You can now grab your feet with both hands!  You are trying to get them in your mouth, but I think your belly is in the way for such an advanced maneuver.  

You've gone swimming a few times, and I'm happy to report, you love the water.  And you look super cute in your swim suit.

You can roll over from your belly to your back now.  I am pretty sure that you despise tummy time so much, you've figured out a way to get out of it.  When you rolled over that first time, I knew exactly how Michael Phelps' mom felt after he won his 5th gold medal.  I WAS SO PROUD OF YOU.  And you were so incredibly humble.  It was like you've rolled over a thousand times.  And who knows, maybe you have rolled over before and your mom didn't tell me, because she knows I would be absolutely unbearable to live with knowing that I'd missed the first time you did anything!  

You have gotten to be very good at telling us exactly what you need.  There's the "fake cry" when you get hungry, and the tired cry, and then there's the I'm-so-pissed-off-I-want-you-to-pull-the-car-over-cry...(5 times coming home from Boulder).  

Alex, I happen to think you are the most advanced baby ever.  The Receptionists looked at me funny at your Doctor's appointment when I told them that we were there for your S-H-O-T. 

And I know you understand me when I say to you, "...tienes hambre?", or "...tienes una fiesta en sus pantelones?" (translation -  is your diaper full?)

You are still super chatty in the mornings.  And after you spend the day with the kids next door, you have to tell us every detail of what we missed.  And Alex, I love listening to the highs and lows of your day.  You will always be the most interesting person in the world to me.  

I've been back at work for almost 2 months now.  Someday, I'm sure, I'll think it's real funny how I have to pump my boobies in the back of the fire truck (and yes, it's a pumper truck).  It's only a little awkward.  And soon, I'll laugh about how I store your next meal in the fridge at work, far from the coffee creamer, so the boys don't monkey around with it in the morning. (Like that would ever happen.  Because you see, Mama works in a place where farts are still real funny.)  In another month, you'll finally have graduated to food that isn't wrapped neatly in a nursing bra.  And while I'm looking forward to the freedom, I'm sure, just like every other stage in your development, I will morn the loss of what used to be.  

Someone told me once, that being a parent is like wearing your heart on the outside of your body for the rest of your life.  I feel like I have entered this secret world of parenting, and it makes me want to jump up and chest bump every other mom I see with a baby.  I've had a few nicknames in my life, but none that have ever made me so proud as "Mama".  (So help me God if your first word is Dada.)  

Chicken, thanks for choosing me as your mom, I'm up to the task.  Now hurry up and wake up from your nap so we can do stuff.

Love,

Mama

Happy Valentines Day!

Happy Valentines Day Virtual Friends!  I had a real cute polka dot outfit on the chicken today, but she pooped her way out of it before the paparazzi showed up.  Seriously, this kid thinks she's famous.

Alex hearts her aquarium (thanks Macey).  She gets up in the morning and immediately looks over to see what her fish are doing.  The only thing that would be better than this would be if I could mount a live fireplace on the side of her crib.

SweetTart

I dressed Alex up like a SweetTart for Valentines Day, then we went to see the fam.  

Here she is with Bapa.

Aunt Anga

Don't look at me with that tone of voice Aunt Anga.

She's decided that Alex is gonna be pretty because, "...people with beauty marks are always pretty."

Mr. Hussle

The Tour of California starts tomorrow...Go get em Mr. Hussle!

Pageant training

The chicken is preparing for her first pageant by working on her posture.

Uncle T-Rav!

I walked in and found Uncle T-Rav! and Alex partying in the bathroom after he gave her a bath. 

She likes her Uncle, you can tell by the way she is holding his hand.

NaNa

NaNa (pronounced Na-Nuh) came over today to pay Alex a visit.  Here she is playing the spider-is-gonna-tickle-you-game.

Thanks Virtual Friends

Thanks to the outcry of support from our Virtual Friends, Alex is finally feeling better.  

Here she is at the peak of her sickness.  

I put her in her "gym" where she usually flops her arms and legs in excitement at the sight of her animal friends.  But this time, she just laid there, looking up at me...so sad.

Po chicken

So I now realize that this blog doesn't update itself.  

I'm sorry to report that our little chicken has her first cold.  BFF and I feel very helpless.  She hasn't been sleeping well, and she's just not been herself, it's heartbreaking.  

Looks like we're gonna hunker down and watch some movies together till she starts feeling better...stay tuned.

Dopers suck

Fisk, Sam, Alex and I walked to the Velodrome in Boulder.  That's an indoor cycling track made of plywood for all you non-biker types.   

Alex is sporting one of Sam's wristbands that says "Dopers Suck".  

Snack time

Snack time at the Velodrome.  Fisk and I had cookies from Vitamin College (that is what FOX31 called it this morning in regards to the peanut butter debockle). 

Isn't Sam cute?  

BIGGER BABIES

Our little studd rolled over!  I think she wanted to "stick it" to her Doctor.  He told us that rolling over is harder for (and I quote) "BIGGER BABIES".  

This is the before photo...

after belly roll

...and after.

Playground

I took the Chicken to the playground to watch all the kids.  She loved it.  I took her on he swing with me.  She could have done that all day, but I wanted to throw up in my mouth.

Alex found her feet!

Guess who can touch her toes?  I'll give you a hint, it's not me.  My hamstrings are 3 inches shorter than they were a year ago.  

training time

I took the chicken for a run at Wash Park when it was like a billion degrees the other day.  Here she is with one of my running partners, Barb.

Facepoo

Goodbye Facesuck, it was fun while it lasted.